For as much truth as the story line holds, it’s not complete. It’s hard to begrudge the business model of owners Larry and Paul Dolan that bases the team’s budget on its revenues. But there is a point at which this mentality can overtake another accepted business maxim: you have to spend money to make money.
To this point, Shapiro has been the person most responsible for balancing these two sometimes conflicting principles. To be incredibly generous, the results have been decidedly mixed and the trends disturbing.
What really started the Indians down this path was Shapiro’s signature trade of Colon in 2002. Shapiro became convinced that a team that had averaged over 90 wins a season for seven consecutive years was on the decline. He was right. He acted with a forcefulness and sense of purpose not seen since, parting with the team’s pitching ace for three very young prospects, Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore. To make the long term plan work, however, he needed to remain ever vigilant, ever bold. Instead he’s been a passive and often ineffective tinkerer.
Dolan has shown some willingness on occasion to spend a little extra to foster Shapiro’s original blueprint though he and now his son Paul don’t make a habit of it. Shapiro has made some good decisions in pursuit of his quest, but he’s not been making a habit of that either. As a result, you get these radically inconsistent on-field performances. A team that won 96 games last year is on a pace to win 74 this year. Of course, that 96-win team only won 78 games the year before. But then again that 78-win team had won 94 games the previous season. Whatever the merits that the Dolans and Shapiro find in their approach, one thing is clear. It’s not yielding the consistent, competitive team they envisioned when they blew up the team in 2002 by trading that team’s Sabathia, Bartolo Colon. Maybe it never could.
Whether you’re in "trade Sabathia but still want to wait another 15 or so games to really see if this team can turn it around" camp, or you’re in the "trade him yesterday" camp, keep in mind that either way you’re throwing your faith in a system that hasn’t necessarily served you well.
Here again is where Shapiro is doing another effective job of lowering expectations, this time on his own ability to perform. Consider how many times fans have heard Shapiro caution not to expect another Colon-type trade. According to Shapiro, teams are no longer making those trades in order to rent a pitcher, even one of Sabathia’s caliber, for a few months.
Article comments
1 - Marny
Losing isn't such a big deal if the third option[after winning] is to not be in the game. Decisions are not written in stone.Not for Shapiro. Not for Sabathia. Not for anyone. Charlie Rose re-played some choice interviews with Tim Russert. One of Tim's favorite quotes from his own Dad was: "You can't recover a fumble if you're not on the field." {Better said than me]. Another new favorite quote off PBS on art--I think holds true for sports fans too about what sports means to them." Art offers the possibility of love with strangers". I would tell Shapiro what I tell people who want to write a book--like the Nike commercial says--"Just Do It".